Scotland Stops Producing Electricity from Charcoal

The last coal power unit in Longannet, Fife, managed by Scottish Power closed down last March 24.

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The closure of this unit, which had been opened for the last 46 years, ended the energy production from coal in Scotland. This fossil fuel has been key in British energy production. The closure of Longannet means that, for the first time in 115 years, Scotland won’t burn charcoal to generate electricity.

Some experts, such as Hugh Finlay, Director of Production from Scottish Power, think that the transition towards clean energies its inevitable. Finlay told the BBC : “Charcoal has been a powerful resource in the generation of power in Scotland for a long time but the closing down of Longannet shows the end of an era”. In this sense, WWF Scotland Director, Lang Banks, told The Guardian: “The closure of Longannet marks a historic and inevitable step in our energy transition as Scotland becomes one of the first nations to end its use of coal for power”.

Autor: Jordi Albacete

I am an environmental journalist. My passion for the protection of human and environmental rights has been inspired by research led journalism. My ambition is to communicate and inspire people to make positive changes in the environment. Twitter @albacetejordi or Linkedin.